Off-camera flash - Two speedlight setup for back-lighting

Once you're comfortable using a single off-camera light-source, such as a softbox (or un-diffused flash), there's an easy next step to add a little bit of zing to the image. Rim-lighting!
I most often work with just a single softbox when photographing portraits on location. Having the sun behind your subject, creates a natural rim-lighting. This helps separate your subject from the background. It's not just the shallow depth-of-field that helps create that near-3D effect where your subjects just pops out from the background Read more inside...

a favorite image - before & after (and the how to)

There's something about this photograph that I really like ... aside from Anelisa being one of my favorite models. It is slightly surreal with Anelisa's apparent levitation. The dress and hat is reminiscent of a 1950's Fashion, and Anelisa's mid-air pose is also reminiscent of Philippe Halsman's iconic jumping images. All that, combined with the sun flaring across her face and the washed-out background, all adds to this wonderfully nostalgic mood. Read more inside...

review: Westcott Rapid Box - 26" Octa Softbox

The Westcott Rapidbox - 26" Octa Softbox (B&H / Amazon) caught my attention, even among the huge variety of light modifiers available for off-camera speedlights. I bought one of these softboxes to try out at the most recent on-location photography lighting workshop in New York. And I like it a lot!
It is relatively fast to set up, and collapses to a compact size and comes in a handy carry bag.
Here is another photograph, with the comparative shot at the same camera settings, that shows exactly what impact the light had Read more inside...

Posing tip - Check the wrists and hands

In posing, a good tip is to have the wrists and hands form a kind of S-curve instead of being straight. While this photograph works for me, and I really like the composition and her direct gaze into the camera ... I should've guided Anelisa to bend her left wrist (the hand closer to her cheek), a bit more. That would've made her gesture a touch more elegant in this photograph at the top.
Of course, in analyzing your photographs closely, there is (nearly) always something to pick up on how you could've improved the final image.
Here is Read more inside...

Studio photography - Creating sun-flare images

One of the sequences I photographed of Anelisa for the video clip of a photo session in the studio, was to create this kind of sun-drenched flared image. I wanted it to look bright and airy and summery.
There was a studio flash behind her to (partially) create the flare. I had to keep adjusting my movement just so that the flash-head wouldn't be entirely hidden, or entirely revealed.
There was a total of four flashes used, and the pull-back shot shows their positioning. Read more inside...

Studio lighting: harder light = dramatic light

When I first started exploring bounce flash, and then off-camera flash and then progressing towards studio photography, my tendency was also instinctively towards softer light. A large light source gives you softer light, which is also more forgiving in terms of how you position your subject and yourself in relation to the light. A large light source is easy to work with because it creates softer light that easily wraps around your subject.
Soft light is flattering. But it soon became obvious that I was missing out on that dramatic Read more inside...

Video clip: Studio photo session w/ Anelisa

To promote my studio as a rental photography studio here in New Jersey, I created this video clip. It's not quite a behind-the-scenes clip since my intention was to show some of the diversity that is possible in the studio. Using different lighting, and different backgrounds and setups, the final photographs look quite different.
Gallery of images of photo session with Anelisa, and other models subsequently.
Photography studio rental NJ
For more videos, follow me on Vimeo / YouTube
The specific sequences will appear as Read more inside...

Continuous lighting - Westcott Spiderlite TD6

The beauty of continuous lighting, such as the Westcott Spiderlite TD6 (B&H / Amazon) , is that you can see exactly how the light falls on your subject. It is easier now to nudge your lighting to the best position, as well as your subject in how they should move or pose.
The Westcott Spiderlites can take a softbox, which gives you beautiful soft light. The downside of these lights, are that they usually aren't very powerful. Unless you are working with a tripod, you'll have to rely on higher ISO settings and wide Read more inside...

Bouncing your on-camera flash behind you

A comment posted to the article, directional light from your on-camera flash, asked a lot of questions about bounce flash photography. While most of these have been answered over time in various articles, it might be a good thing to pull it all together in directly answering those questions here.
This uncomplicated portrait of Anelisa that shows specific elements in how I bounce flash:
catchlights in the eyes
directional light which can be observed here as that gradient of light across her cheek
no hard shadows from direct Read more inside...

Multiple speedlite portrait setup using Rogue Flashbenders

The PDN Photo Plus Expo in New York took place last week. As always, it's it's always a bit of a head-rush walking around, overwhelmed by all the photography goodies and people. Of course, you'll inevitably bump into old friends and catch up a bit. One of them, is Michael Corsentino who I met during the After Dark photo conventions.
Not only is Michael Corsentino a pre-eminent wedding photographer in San Francisco, but has also written a book - the Canon Speedlite System Digital Field Guide (Amazon). If you like Read more inside...